New Jersey Future and the NJ Chapter of the American Planning Association’s 2023 Planning and Redevelopment Conference, June 21–23, is a three-day hybrid conference—virtual June 21 and 22, in-person June 23.

There are 36 timely sessions focused on all aspects of redevelopment and planning in New Jersey. In the most intensively-developed state in the nation, redevelopment is increasingly becoming the default method for accommodating New Jersey’s growth, and brings economic benefit to its already-built places while helping to preserve its precious open-space resources. The conference brings together hundreds of New Jersey professionals, elected officials, and community activists who share a passion and commitment to the Garden State.

WHERE:

This is a hybrid event. On June 21 and 22, the sessions will be entirely virtual. On June 23, the sessions will be in-person only at Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick, NJ. For complimentary press access, contact Michael Atkins or 609-217-5569.

WHO:

Over 750 registrants and 150 speakers including:

·    Christopher Coes, Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation

·    Beth Osborne, Vice President for Transportation and Thriving Communities, Smart Growth America

·    Shawn LaTourette, Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

·    Leslie Anderson, President & Chief Executive Officer, New Jersey Redevelopment Authority

·    Tai Cooper, Chief Community Development Officer, New Jersey Economic Development Authority

·    Justin Braz, Assistant Commissioner for Transportation Policy and Chief of Staff

·    David Behrend, Executive Director, North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority

·    Donna Rendeiro, Executive Director, State Planning Commission, New Jersey Office of State Planning

·    Jeff Kolakowski, Chief Executive Officer, New Jersey Builders Association

·    Allison Ladd, Deputy Mayor/Director, Department of Economic and Housing Development, City of Newark

·    Taiisa Kelly, Chief Executive Officer, Monarch Housing Associates

·    Mark McDonough, President, New Jersey American Water

·    Bob Zuckerman, President, Downtown New Jersey

·    Jacque Pierre Howard, Founder, Trenton 365 and Executive Director, Black Cannabis

·    Nagisa Manabe, Director of Development, Ramapough Culture and Land Foundation

·    Donnetta Johnson, Executive Director, Stoutsburg-Sourland African American Museum (SSAAM)

·    Ben Spinelli, Executive Director, New Jersey Highlands Council

·    Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation

·    Leo Vazquez, Executive Director, Northern New Jersey Community Foundation

·    Tomas Varela, Executive Director, New Jersey Black Empowerment Coalition

·    Eric Orlando, Executive Director, Brewers Guild of New Jersey

·    Nancy Gagnier, Executive Director, South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race

·    Andrew Nowick, Mayor, City of Lambertville

·    Frank Minor, Mayor, Logan Township

·    Janice Kovach, Mayor, Town of Clinton

·    Jason Cilento, Mayor, Borough of Dunellen

·    Paul Muir, Mayor, Bethlehem Township

·    Shelley Brindle, Mayor, Town of Westfield

·    Tim Dougherty, Mayor, Town of Morristown

See the agenda for speaker times. View the full speaker list here.

WHEN:

·    Wednesday June 21, 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. virtually

·    Thursday June 22, 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. virtually

·    Friday June 23, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick

Featured sessions include:

Delivering Walk-Bike-Ride Transportation in New Jersey (June 22, 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.)

·    Christopher Coes, Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation

·    Beth Osborne, Vice President for Transportation and Thriving Communities, Smart Growth America

·    David Behrend, Executive Director, North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority

·    Justin Braz, Assistant Commissioner for Transportation Policy and Chief of Staff, New Jersey Department of Transportation

·    Nicole Miller, Principal, MnM Consulting

New Jersey faces a tremendous opportunity—to access new and time-limited federal funding for transportation solutions that strengthen communities. Hear from national leaders about the federal government’s holistic strategy for transportation decarbonization—which calls for local land use planning and investments in safe walking and biking infrastructure, transit systems, and electrification—and from local leaders about their successes and challenges in accessing and deploying these new resources.

Inflation, Interest Rates, and Indicators of NJ’s Post-Pandemic Real Estate Economy (June 21, 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.)

·    Jeffrey Otteau, Managing Partner & Chief Economist, Otteau Group Inc.

Jeffrey Otteau, founder of the Otteau Group, is an industry expert who is widely respected for his knowledge and insight into real estate trends and is considered the go-to person for assessing the viability and optimization of real estate development and redevelopment projects. Otteau is frequently quoted in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, and has made television appearances on CNBC, Bloomberg, Fox 5 News and NBC News. His broad-based experience encompasses a wide range of property types including residential, commercial, industrial, land, subdivision development, and special purpose.

The State of Planning and Redevelopment in New Jersey (June 23, 9:00–10:30 a.m.)

·    Peter Kasabach, Executive Director, New Jersey Future

·    Shawn LaTourette, Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

·    Tai Cooper, Chief Community Development Officer, New Jersey Economic Development Authority

·    Jeffrey Oakman, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of the Governor

·    Catherine Klinger, Executive Director, Governor’s Office of Climate Action and the Green Economy

New Jersey municipalities have a lot of control over what gets planned and developed in their communities. This power is given to them by the State and the State continues to set the laws, regulations, policies, and investment practices that set the parameters for local decision-making. What is the latest on state policy and investments affecting how and where we develop and redevelop, make infrastructure investments, and plan our communities? Hear from key State executive branch officials from various departments about the things you need to know about sensible and equitable planning and redevelopment to ultimately foster healthy and resilient communities across the state.

Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes, Architecture Beyond Bricks and Mortar (June 23, 12:15–2:15 p.m.)

·    Michael Ford, Founder, BrandNu Design Studio

Michael Ford, AIA, NOMA, NCARB, is a licensed architect and founding principal of BrandNu Design Studio, a full service architecture and design firm. Known as The Hip Hop Architect, Ford is also the founder of The Hip Hop Architecture Camp®, an international, award winning, youth camp which positions Hip Hop Culture as a catalyst to help underrepresented youth understand, critique, and generate architecture. Ford’s work has been featured in a variety of media including The Oprah Winfrey Network, The TODAY Show, Rolling Stone Magazine, ESPN’s The Undefeated, Vibe Magazine, and most recently a HULU documentary, “Design For All.” He is a highly regarded speaker with keynotes at American Institute of Architects, Interior Design Show, SXSW, and the TEDx talk, “Hip Hop Architecture as Modernism’s Post Occupancy Evaluation.”